Friday, June 23, 2017

Leading qualifier Mairead Martin (Kanturk) is safely through to the last 16 at the Irish Women’s Close Championship at Mullingar.

Martin faced 2017 Munster Women’s Champion Paula Walsh (Doneraile) in the first round and got off to a good start, winning three of the first six holes. Walsh steadied the match but the deficit was too much for her to fight back and the game finished on the 16th green, 3 and 2 to Martin.

Maria Dunne (Skerries), Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) and Mary Dowling (New Ross) are also through to the last 16, while Ciara Casey (Hermitage) did battle with Anna Dawson (Tramore) which came to ultimatum in favour of the Dubliner on the 15th when Casey produced a short game masterclass over the closing few holes.

Fourteen-year-old Dawson, sister of Men’s International Robin Dawson, was delighted to make her first cut at the Irish Women’s Close

“I really enjoyed this morning’s match, I was 2 up after 8 but Ciara got up and down so many times on the last few holes and that was hard to beat! I am looking forward now to competing in the Plate matches.”

Junior Vagliano Trophy team member Sara Byrne (Douglas), and girls’ Internationals Valerie Clancy (Killarney) and Rachel Thompson (Cork) will also compete in tomorrow’s last 16 matches. While Paula Grant (Lisburn) and Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) also safely negotiated their first-round match-ups.

Paula Grant, who came up against her good friend and college mate Roisin Brady (Co. Louth) spoke about how it wasn’t their first encounter; “I think we’ve played each other 3 times in the last 4 Irish Close’s, which is funny!”

When speaking about her successful week at the British Ladies Amateur she was adamant that it wouldn’t be a once-off good week.

“Last week was great, it gave me the confidence that I can compete with the best and while I lost out to Leona in the quarter finals you really can’t be disappointed when she goes on to win the title!

"Finishing third was a good start in the qualifiers yesterday and I am just going to keep doing what I am doing over the weekend.”

Those who were beaten in this morning’s matches will now progress to the Plate flight and compete for the Ita Wallace Trophy and the two flights of matchplay will continue until Sunday afternoon when the Championship and Plate winners will be crowned.